Indicine cattle breeds are adapted to the tropical climate, and their coat plays an important role in this process. Coat color influences thermoregulation and the adhesion of ectoparasites and may be associated with productive and reproductive traits. Furthermore, coat color is used for breed qualification, with breeders preferring certain colors. The Gir cattle is characterized by a wide variety of coat colors. Therefore, we performed genome-wide association studies to identify candidate genes for coat color in Gir cattle. Different phenotype scenarios were considered in the analyses and regions were identified on eight chromosomes. Some regions and many candidate genes are influencing coat color in the Gir cattle, which was found to be a polygenic trait. The candidate genes identified have been associated with white spotting patterns and base coat color in cattle and other species. In addition, a possible epistatic effect on coat color determination in the Gir cattle was suggested. This is the first published study that identified genomic regions and listed candidate genes associated with coat color in Gir cattle. The findings provided a better understanding of the genetic architecture of the trait in the breed and will allow to guide future fine-mapping studies for the development of genetic markers for selection.
Keywords: Bos taurus indicus; GWAS; SNP; hair; pigmentation; white markings.